More than two million British employees who plan to work over their summer holidays are at risk of burnout, according to new research from Claro Wellbeing.
The survey of 1,000 UK-based staff by the financial wellbeing provider found that one in 15 will be doing some form of work while taking annual leave, while more than a third (34%) are already going over their contracted hours every week.
Wellbeing Washing – The True Cost report also revealed that more than one in five (22%) of UK employees do between one and five hours a week of unpaid overtime, with the same percentage having experienced burnout in the past six months. This is despite 71% of organisations claiming to support employee wellbeing.
Claro Wellbeing warns that people who are working overtime without adequate breaks are at greater risk of poor wellbeing and could suffer from of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by work stress.
The company highlighted that work-related burnout could also be made worse by other stresses, such as financial strain caused by the cost-of-living crisis. Its report discovered that workers spend an average of three-and-a-half working days a year arranging their personal finances, which reduces their productivity and increases the burden of their workload.
Stacey Lowman, head of employee wellbeing at Claro Wellbeing, said: “As businesses are hit by increasing costs across the board, some are scaling back the size of their workforces, meaning those remaining are left to pick up an increased workload. And with the cost-of-living crisis putting pressure on employees’ finances, many will be keen to prove themselves, working overtime to complete the work.
“Money worries are negatively impacting the work performance of two in three (67%) workers, meaning as many as 22 million employees are facing financial-related stresses on top of heavy workloads.
“However, summer holidays should be enjoyed by everyone without the need to dip into work-related tasks. This important downtime is essential to unwind and to support mental wellbeing. If employees do not take breaks from work, they’re at much greater risk of burnout and exhaustion. Working during annual leave also means that employees will miss out on dedicated time to relax and refresh and return to work energised. For employers, this could mean reduced productivity, greater chance of staff needing time off for stress-related ill health and higher staff turnover as employees leave for a better working environment.”
Lowman explained that employers should foster a healthy working environment which encourages employees to take breaks, work their contracted hours and maintain a work-life balance in order to maintain employee wellbeing.
She added: “Management should lead by example and workloads should be monitored to ensure that tasks can feasibly be completed in working hours.
“A comprehensive benefits offering can also aid improved wellbeing and help employees deal with workplace stresses. With the cost of living still impacting every household and business, a financial wellbeing programme, which enables staff to access support at a time that suits them, is worth considering.”
